Door controlled lighting unit



ug- 10, 1954 v. F. GERACI 2,686,252

DooR coNTRoLLED LIGHTING UNIT Filed May 13, 1952 A JNVENToR. V//vcE/vr EGEP/:c/

Patented Aug. l0, v 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOOR CONTROLLED LIGHTING UNIT Vincent F. Geraci, Cleveland, Ohio Application May 13, 1952, Serial No. 287,4 80

1 claim. 1

This invention relates to door controlled lighting units of the kind intended for use in supplying illumination to the interior of a closet, cabinet or other enclosure and as one of its objects provides a lighting unit of this kind which is oi a Very simple, practical and economical construction and which is in the form of a complete self-contained device which can be quickly and easily installed merely by mounting the same on the door frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting `unit of the character mentioned having novel lever means for transmitting movement to a projecting switch actuating plunger such that the unit can be disposed at a location in the closet or enclosure which will aiiord more satisfactory illumination with minimum obstruction of the door opening.

A further object is to provide a lighting unit of the kind referred to above in which the lever means comprises a bell crank lever pivoted for relative swinging for engagement of one arm thereof with the switch plunger and a thrust element carried by the other arm of the bell crank lever and `adapted to be engaged by the door.

Still another object is to provide a lighting unit of the type above indicated comprising a cover-attached mounting bracket and a tubular sheet metal housing member having a lamp socket mounted in one end thereof and which housing member and lamp socket are connected with the mounting bracket by engagement of the other end of the housing member with the cover so as to denne a switch enclosure and wherein a switch device, located in such switch enclosure, includes a movable actuating p-lunger extending through the cover in the general direction of the axis of the housing member.

The invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements oi parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the claim hereof.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a door frame to which the novel lighting unit of the present invention has been applied, the lighting unit itself being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is mainly a bottom pla-n view of the lighting unit when viewed in the direction indicated by the section line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the lighting unit and an adjacent fragmentary portion of the door frame, as indicated by section line 3-3 0f Fig. 2.

As one practical embodiment of the invention, the drawings show the novel lighting unit I 0 mounted on a door frame Il so as to be located in a closet space or enclosure I2 and inwardly of the door opening I3 leading into such space or enclosure.

The door opening I3 is defined by the door frame lI, which is located in the upright building wall I4. The door frame II is of a conventional form comprising upright and transverse jamb members i5 and I5 and a pair of front and rear casing members Il and I8. The door opening I3 is controlled by an outwardly swinging door I9 of a conventional form, which in its closed position engages a stop strip or batten 20 of the door frame II, as shown in Fig. 1.

The lighting unit I includ-es a housing 22 having a lamp socket 23 mounted therein at one upper end thereof, and a switch device 24 located in the housing and having an actuating plunger 25 projecting from the lower end thereof. The lighting unit IQ also includes a mounting bracket 26 having an angular portion 26a adapted to be secured to the inner casing member I8 of the door frame, as by means of the screws 21, and a lateral shelf portion 26h to which the lower end of the housing 22 is secured in the manner explained hereinafter.

The housing 22 comprisesl ay tubular sheet metal member 28, in this instance a substantially cylindrical member, having an open lower end 8a and at its upper end having a transverse end wall 28b provided with an opening in which the lamp socket 23 is mounted. The lamp socket 23 is or" a conventional form comprising a base 29 made of insulating material and embodying an internally threaded metal socket member 30 which extends upwardly through the end wall 28b in insulated relation thereto and is adapted to receive the externally threaded base 3l of an incandescent lamp 32. The lamp socket 23 also comprises a clamping ring 33 made of insulating material. As shown in Fig. 3, the lamp socket is mounted in the housing 22 by the clamping engagement of the base 29 and the ring 33 with opposite sides of the transverse end wall 2lih of the housing member 28.

The housing 22 is also formed, in part, by a substantially cup-shaped cover member 34 which forms the transverse bottom wall of the housing and cooperates with the housing member 28 in defining a chamber or enclosure 35 in which the switch device 24 is located. The cover member 34 comprises a fiat end wall 34e which is seated lagainst the laterally extending portion 26b of the mounting bracket 26 and an annular skirt portion 34b.

The fixture assembly comprising the housing member 28 and the lamp socket 23 is connected with the bracket 26 by the engagement of the open lower end 28@L of the housing member with the cover member 34. This engagement is here shown as being a telescoping engagement in which the openlower end 28a is received within the annulaiskirt 34b and is connected therewith by a frictional engagement, although, if desired, this connection can also be formed by the use of suitable welding or soldering.

From the construction just described above for the housing 22, it will be seen that this housing resembles a tin can in an inverted position and' to facilitate the manufacture ofthe lighting unit I at minimum cost, the housing is preferably made from a conventional tin can of a suitable size, shape and construction as shown in the drawings. When the housing 22 is made from such a conventional tin can, the transverse end wall 28h which supports the lamp socket 23, is formed by the bottom wall of the can. The cover member 34I is formed by the conventional cup-shaped friction cap of the can and is secured to the bracket 25 in a manner to be presently described. In addition to forming an enclosure for the switch device 24, the chamber 35 of the housing also provides a space in which Il' the wires 35 connecting the switch device 24 and the lamp socket 23 are located and concealed.

A conductor cord 31 extends from the chamber 3.5 through a bushing 38 mounted in an opening of the side wall of the housing 22 and includes a terminal plug 33 adapted to be inserted into an available electrical outlet. The wires 3E are insulated from metallic contact with the side wall of the housing member 28 by a sheet of suitable insulating material 45 which forms a. cylindrical inner liner in this housing member.

The switch device 24 comprises a hollow body 4I made of insulating material and having therein a pair of stationary contacts 42 and 43 and a movable contact 44 extending in bridging relationto such stationary contacts. This switch device also includes a hollow externally threaded mounting stem 45 which extends through aligned openings of the cover member 34 and the bracket portion 26B, and the above-mentioned actuating plunger 25 which is slidable in the hollow stem 45 and is connected with the movable contact 44 by a push rod 41.

A compression spring 48 located in the hollow stem 45 and disposed between the switch housing 4I and the plunger 25, is effective on the latter to normally hold the same in a position projecting from the hollow stem, as shown in Fig. 3. The pressure of the spring 48 also acts on the plunger 25 in a direction to shift the movable contact 44 into engagement with the stationary contacts 42 and 43 whenever an outward movement of the plunger is permitted.

The threaded stem 45 of the switch device 24 also serves as a connecting means for holding the cover member 34 in connected relation with the bracket 26. For this purpose, a pair of lock nuts 49 and 50 provided on the threaded stem 45, apply a clamping force against the cover member 34 and the lateral bracket portion 26e. In addition to the connection provided by the threaded stem 45 and the lock nuts 49 and D, the cover member 34 can be secured to the bracket portion 26 by suitable welding or soldering if desired. When the cover member 34 is circular in plan shape as in this instance, the bracket portion 26a has a similar circular shape as shown in Fig. 2.

Another important feature of the present invention is the provision of lever means 52 for transmitting movement to the switch actuating plunger 25 and this lever means will be described next. The lever means 52 is here shown as comprising a bell crank lever 53 and a thrust element 54 connected with such bell crank lever. A pair of laterally spaced arms 55 and 56, formed by downwardly deflected portions of the bracket 25, have laterally aligned openings in which a pair of pivot lugs 51 and 58 rotatably engage to constitute a pivotal mount for the bell crank lever 53. One of the arms of the bell crank lever 53, in this instance the arm 53a at the fulcrumed upper end of the lever is engageable with the outer end of the switch plunger 25. The otherV or free arm 53b of the bell crank lever' extends in the general direction of the axis of the housing 22.

The thrust element 54 is here shown as comprising a pin carried by the free arm 53h of the bell crank lever 53 and projecting therefrom inY an angular relation such that it extends substantially normal to the axis of the housing 22 and which pin is of a length to project into the door opening I3. The thrust element 54 has an adjustable connection. with the lever arm 53 and which, in this instance, is formed by a threaded portion 54a screwed into an internally threaded opening of the lever arm and engaged by a lock nut 59.

From the construction above described for the lighting unit I0, it will be seen that. this unit comprises a complete self-contained device which can. be quickly and easily installed by merely attaching the bracket 26 to the casing member I8 of the door frame I I and that when the lighting unit is installed in. this manner, it will be located in the closet space or enclosure I2 in an upright position for effective. illumination of such space and at a point where it will` be hidden from view and will not obstruct the door opening leading into. such closet space. It. will alsoy be. seen that when the lighting unit Illhas been mounted in this position, the thrust element 54 of the lever means 52 will project into the door opening I3v to be engaged by the door IS when the latter is swung to its closed position.

The engagement of the thrust element 54r by the door I9 causes swingingy of the bell crank lever 53 on itsV pivotal mounting to thereby cause the lever arm 53a to move the switch plunger 25 upwardly to lift the movable contact 44 and hold the same in an open position with respect to the stationary contacts 42 and 43. While the door I9 remains closed, the movable contact 44 will be retained in its open position and the supply of electric current to the incandescent lamp 32 will be interrupted. When the door I5 is opened, the thrust element 54 is released where" upon the compression spring 48 moves the plunger 25 downwardly and causes closing of the movable contact member 44 for supplying ener gizing current to the lamp 32.

The lighting unit Il] preferably includes the above-described lever means 25 asan important part` thereof because of the advantageous mounting position which it permits for the unit and because of the increased force which will be applied thereby to the switch plunger 25, but if desired, this lever means can be omitted and in that case, the lighting unit would be mounted on the door frame in a position such that the switch actuating plunger 25 will be engaged directly by the door I9.

Although the novel lighting unit of this invention has been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope, but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claim hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A lighting unit for mounting on a door frame or the like defining a door opening and including jamb and casing members, comprising a mounting bracket adapted to be attached to a casing member of said door frame, a cover member connected With said mounting bracket, a tubular sheet metal housing member having an end opening at one end thereof, a lamp socket mounted in said housing member at said end opening, a switch supported by said cover member and comprising cooperating stationary and movable contacts, a movable plunger extending through said cover member and adapted to impart actuating movement to the movable switch contact, said housing member and lamp socket forming an assembly which is supported by said bracket by engagement of the other end of said housing member with said cover member and said housing and cover members cooperating to denne an enclosure for said switch, a bell crank lever having one arm thereof engageable with said plunger and its other arm extending in the general direction of the longitudinal axis of said housing member and being of a length to project beyond said casing member of said door frame, pivot means mounting said lever on said bracket for relative swinging, and a thrust pin carried by said other arm and projecting therefrom in angular relation to said axis and in a direction to extend transversely of said casing member and into said door opening, said thrust pin being threaded and having adjustable connection with said other arm.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,682,549 Billerbeck Aug. 28, 1923 2,053,373 Money Sept. 8, 1936 2,164,239 Grayson June 27, 1939 2,172,523 Soreng Sept. 12, 1939 2,279,933 Wells Apr. 14, 1942 

